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Welker with possible torn ACL, MCL

Welker believed to have torn ACL, MCL
Posted by Michael David Smith on January 3, 2010 6:42 PM ET
The early word on Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker is not good.

Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that preliminary tests show Welker having a torn ACL and torn MCL. He is scheduled to undergo more testing on Monday, and until an MRI confirms the diagnosis Welker can hold out hope that it's not that serious, but at the moment things look grim.

A torn ACL and MCL would obviously keep Welker out of the postseason, and it would probably affect his availability for the start of training camp and possibly the start of the 2010 regular season.

Welker finishes the season as the league leader in receptions, with 123. He was on the verge of becoming the first NFL player ever to average more than nine catches a game for a season, but getting hurt on his first catch today brought his average for the season down to 8.8 catches a game.

Re: Welker with possible torn ACL, MCL

Honestly my first "knee jerk" reaction went "woo hoo we don't have to face this guy". After that though I felt sorry for the guy. He has had one spectacular year and to be gone for the playoffs has to be a huge bummer for him, his family and all of his co-players.

Re: Welker with possible torn ACL, MCL

Besides blame Bernard Pollard he was there when it went down ironic eh?

In case you seriously thought I was trying to insult you I was merely making a light-hearted observation that this was the type of thing Bill Polian would tell us he was trying to avoid for the Colts.

And on a further note, (if he would really point to this) it would have more resonance IF he didn't have players like Peyton, Dallas, and Reggie out there today in a snowstorm trying to get some meaningless personal records (tho I suppose those could be contract incentives and maybe mean $$$ to the players).

Nuntius was right. I was wrong. Frank Vogel has retained his job.

------

"A player who makes a team great is more valuable than a great player. Losing yourself in the group, for the good of the group, thatís teamwork."

Re: Welker with possible torn ACL, MCL

In case you seriously thought I was trying to insult you I was merely making a light-hearted observation that this was the type of thing Bill Polian would tell us he was trying to avoid for the Colts.

And on a further note, (if he would really point to this) it would have more resonance IF he didn't have players like Peyton, Dallas, and Reggie out there today in a snowstorm trying to get some meaningless personal records (tho I suppose those could be contract incentives and maybe mean $$$ to the players).

I did know you were joking though

But yeah the contract incentives doesn't fly for me because they could've easily done it in the Jets game which was at home, indoors no less.

Re: Welker with possible torn ACL, MCL

But yeah the contract incentives doesn't fly for me because they could've easily done it in the Jets game which was at home, indoors no less.

Another great point.

If the Colts had shown any consistency in their decision making process on this then the blowback would die fairly quickly. They are getting exactly what they deserve with this continuing to follow them in the media and in fandom.

You play the meaningless Jags game like you are going for the unbeaten season. Then you get home and pull the starters in a very winnable game with just a 5 point lead. Then you go to Buffalo and continue playing starters extended minutes in a now extra meaningless game in a freaking snowstorm.

So yeah... if letting those players get their 100 catches was so important then why not do it in the NYJ game and at least try and win it in the process?

Nuntius was right. I was wrong. Frank Vogel has retained his job.

------

"A player who makes a team great is more valuable than a great player. Losing yourself in the group, for the good of the group, thatís teamwork."

Re: Welker with possible torn ACL, MCL

It was the 4th play of the game. If the philosophy was to play the starters for one series and sit them, Welker would have still be out there, so this in no way supports a Polian philosophy.

Just a very bad break.

Yep, and there's a great chance Polian will use this to justify their decision. It will just be another of his lies, just like him saying Corneillius Bennett was injured in a meaningless game in 1999. He wasn't. The Colts were tied with the Jags going into that final game and were playing for the number 1 seed.

There are already some in the national media who are using the Welker injury to justify the Colts decision.

Re: Welker with possible torn ACL, MCL

There is a rumor that the #3 WR Aiken may have suffered a significant shoulder injury also, so the Pats would be down to 3 healthy wide receivers, Moss, the rookie Edelman, and Ian Stanbeck, a little-used WR they claimed off waivers from the Cowboys earlier in the year.

Re: Welker with possible torn ACL, MCL

Decent, although its actual ranking is pretty low, but it doesn't stand out as a glaring weakness. Our corners give us some problems, I'd be really worried about Moss if they had Welker, but if Moss is all we have to worry about then I feel good about shutting him down.

I can't wait to talk smack to my Pats friends. There are few things in the world better than a Boston sports fan with that smug smile wipe off his face.

Re: Welker with possible torn ACL, MCL

Decent, although its actual ranking is pretty low, but it doesn't stand out as a glaring weakness. Our corners give us some problems, I'd be really worried about Moss if they had Welker, but if Moss is all we have to worry about then I feel good about shutting him down.

I can't wait to talk smack to my Pats friends. There are few things in the world better than a Boston sports fan with that smug smile wipe off his face.

Don't be over confident. Belichick has proven he can win without premier skill position guys time and time again. Expect a heavy dose of NE's run game with Morris/Taylor having fresh legs and a lot of short curls in the passing game. NE hasn't lost at home all year and I don't expect them to this weekend against the Ravens.

Re: Welker with possible torn ACL, MCL

If there's one thing I've learned about the Patriots over all these years it's this: They don't lose home playoff games. The Belichick-Brady combo is undefeated at home in January. Even though the team hasn't been very impressive overall this year, they are still a perfect 8-0 at home. I will be very very very impressed with the Ravens if they can reverse those trends, but I'm certainly not betting on it.

Re: Welker with possible torn ACL, MCL

I've been thinking what losing Welker does is make the Patriots harder to prepare for because they will do something to attempt to compensate for his loss. They won't just plug someone into his role and live with less production there and make life tougher for Moss.

Nuntius was right. I was wrong. Frank Vogel has retained his job.

------

"A player who makes a team great is more valuable than a great player. Losing yourself in the group, for the good of the group, thatís teamwork."

Re: Welker with possible torn ACL, MCL

I have a few Boston transplants I watch games with, so I'm pretty familiar with the Pats. Welker was critical, critical, for them. He has quietly put together an elite receiving season, one of the best in history. Any time Brady needed to be bailed out, any time he needed 5 or so yards, that ball was going hard, fast, and low to Welker, and there wasn't anything anybody could do about it.

What's more, Welker was the heart and soul of that team. Brady's a step slow and everybody knows it, he doesn't have his swagger, and Moss has been inconsistent, but Welker was mighty mouse, he ran around making plays against bigger guys and the Pats fans ate it up, he got that whole stadium rocking.

The one upside to this for Pats fans is that on Sunday, when the Ravens D absolutely demolishes them, everyone'll realize how great of a season Welker has been having and how important he is to that team.

(and yes, I'm exaggerating, no need to rain on my parade, but the Ravens play best when we're cocky and pumped, and I'm pumped for the Pats game)

Re: Welker with possible torn ACL, MCL

I have a few Boston transplants I watch games with, so I'm pretty familiar with the Pats. Welker was critical, critical, for them. He has quietly put together an elite receiving season, one of the best in history. Any time Brady needed to be bailed out, any time he needed 5 or so yards, that ball was going hard, fast, and low to Welker, and there wasn't anything anybody could do about it.

What's more, Welker was the heart and soul of that team. Brady's a step slow and everybody knows it, he doesn't have his swagger, and Moss has been inconsistent, but Welker was mighty mouse, he ran around making plays against bigger guys and the Pats fans ate it up, he got that whole stadium rocking.

The one upside to this for Pats fans is that on Sunday, when the Ravens D absolutely demolishes them, everyone'll realize how great of a season Welker has been having and how important he is to that team.

(and yes, I'm exaggerating, no need to rain on my parade, but the Ravens play best when we're cocky and pumped, and I'm pumped for the Pats game)

I don't doubt that the loss of Welker will hurt, but Belichick ran an efficient offense (winning 3 SB's in the process) before both Welker and Moss arrived. I think the Pats will be alright on offense, especially against Baltimore's terrible CBs. Also, don't discount the fresh legs factor for the Pats running game. Morris and Taylor look very fresh and the Ravens run D has been sloping downward as of late. They have traditionally been a great run stopping unit, but it wouldn't surprise me to see Morris/Taylor/Faulk combo go for over 150+ yards on them.